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With spring rolling closer it is time again to think about having your house washed. In most parts of the country a house should be washed every one to two years depending on the situation. Homes in areas of high traffic or surrounded by trees might need washed more often than homes in different locations. Homes in more southern areas will suffer from mold and mildew more often than homes in northern states. Inspect your home looking for indications that it may be time for a house wash. Most commonly, mildew will be the first problem to occur. Mildew shows up on vinyl siding and other surfaces in the form of small light black blotches about an 1/8″ diameter in size. It will first start appearing where there is a lack of sun - namely on the bottom side of the gutters and/or the first couple rows of vinyl siding just underneath the overhang area. Covered porches and patios will also gather mildew on the siding that is shaded or even on the porch railings, posts, and columns. Another issue sometimes appearing on its own or with mildew is algae. Most people refer to it as mold but it is actually green algae. Regardless of what you want to call it, it appears as green streaks or blotches that will normally first start appearing on the north facing side of your home. This side is shaded the most and provides more moisture for the algae to thrive. Not only does the green house algae take away from the appearance of your home, it can get in behind the siding and begin to cause other issues. It is best to have it killed and cleaned by a professional house cleaner. Look for professional house washing companies that use contractor grade cleaners and use low pressure methods so your vinyl siding is not damaged. Call early in the year - just before spring - to get an estimate and to get on the schedule early in order to beat the spring rush. Most professional exterior cleaning contractors are the busiest during the first couple of months in the spring. Call early and get scheduled to avoid getting caught behind several weeks worth of booked jobs. If you find a contractor during the spring that is not very busy - meaning he can get to you almost immediately - it may be worth looking into as to why they are not busy. It may be they just have a few crews running and are very efficient but to be safe always research a cleaning company in full before hiring them. Inspect your home for potential problem areas and get on the schedule early this spring to have your house washed. This will ensure you get it done before you start getting busy and caught up in all the other things you have going on this spring and summer. Having your home washed will increase its curb appeal and value and can certainly be one of the best bangs for your buck when it comes to home improvement.
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